CFO.University

🔮 The CFO Shift:  Prediction # 10 👇Tenth in our series from 10 Predictions Shaping the CFO Role in 2026  💡  COMMUNITY IS THE NEW COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE No CFO can navigate today’s complexity alone. The most effective CFOs we know: • Learn from peers • Share experiences • Challenge each other’s thinking Community isn’t a “nice to have” anymore. It’s a strategic advantage. And creating it may be one of the most underrated skill of all. ✔️  What CFOs Should Do:  CFOs should actively participate in communities that challenge their thinking and expose them to diverse experiences. ✔️  How CFO.University Helps:  The CFO.University community—through events, newsletters, CFO Talks, and member discussions—connects finance leaders globally to learn faster together. ✔️  Example Resources: CFO.University Membership  https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG CFO.University Member Resource Center   https://lnkd.in/g5qVmZzx CFO.University Coaching Programs   https://lnkd.in/grXyy32B Contributors https://lnkd.in/dmGN7_7  who can help you on Prediction #10: CFO.University, Steve Rosvold Read about all 10 Predictions and Solutions here:  https://lnkd.in/gN39AZJY Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs  🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🗺️ Explore our Membership benefits here, https://lnkd.in/gbMQe8pU 😊 Like what you found? Join us here, https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #Growth #CFOUniversity #Community

📊 Is Your Reporting Helping or Hindering Decision-Making? As CFOs and finance leaders, we’re surrounded by data—but not always by insight. 🔍 That’s why we created the Introduction to Reporting course at CFO.University. It’s designed to help finance pros move from just producing reports… to delivering intelligence that drives performance. This concise, high-impact course will help you: ✅ Deliver reporting that actually informs management decisions ✅ Understand the key elements of meaningful reports ✅ Avoid common traps like “report clutter” and misaligned metrics 🔗 Here is the link to the Course: https://lnkd.in/gYBWWcW And to help you assess your current reporting approach, we’ve paired the course with the Managerial Reporting Scorecard—a diagnostic tool to evaluate the effectiveness of your current reporting practices. 📈 Whether you’re looking to streamline board packages or transform operational dashboards, these resources will sharpen your ability to communicate what matters most. 🔗 Here is the link to the Tool: https://lnkd.in/gjw4KSaD Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow. 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs 🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🔔 Stay in the loop. Follow CFO.University 🎯 🔗 Explore the benefits of being a Member at CFO.University: https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #FinancialReporting #ManagerialExcellence #CFOUniversity #ProfessionalDevelopment #FinancialInsights #ReportingMatters #CFOtools #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfFinance #FourPillarsOfCFOSuccess

🔮 The CFO Shift:  Prediction # 9 👇 Ninth in our series from 10 Predictions Shaping the CFO Role in 2026  💡  THE RISE OF FRACTIONAL, INTERIM & PORTFOLIO CFOs The CFO career path is no longer one-size-fits-all. In 2026, we’ll see continued growth in: • Fractional CFOs • Interim CFOs • Portfolio CFOs serving multiple companies or boards Sometimes by choice. Sometimes by necessity. Often by opportunity. This shift is happening because organizations need strategic financial leadership, but not always in a traditional, full-time package. For CFOs, this means one thing: 👉 Your value must travel with you. What matters most in these models isn’t: • Company-specific systems • Industry-locked expertise It’s portable leadership capabilities: • Strategy and decision architecture • Executive communication • Systems thinking • Judgment under uncertainty At CFO.University, we support both traditional and non-traditional CFO paths by focusing on the capabilities that scale across roles. ✔️  What CFOs Should Do:  CFOs should invest in portable skills: strategy, leadership, communication, and systems thinking. ✔️  How CFO.University Helps:  CFO.University provides continuous learning and community that supports both traditional and non-traditional CFO career paths. ✔️  Example Resources: The 4 + Pillars of CFO Success: A Complete Framework for Modern  Finance Leadership   https://lnkd.in/g-JFhuJP CFO.University Membership  https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG 7 Financial Mistakes That Quietly Kill Small Businesses https://lnkd.in/g3bRt-mA Why Your Business Needs A Strategic CFO  https://lnkd.in/gAjiSvv Contributors https://lnkd.in/dmGN7_7  who can help you on Prediction #9: Yiannis Papadopoulos Paul Barnhurst Steve Rosvold Read about all 10 Predictions and Solutions here: https://lnkd.in/gN39AZJY Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs  🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🗺️ Explore our Membership benefits here, https://lnkd.in/gbMQe8pU 😊 Like what you found? Join us here, https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #Growth #CFOUniversity #FractionalCFO 

🎨 Why CFOs Should Embrace Design Thinking 📰 Article: Applying Design Thinking to Finance https://lnkd.in/gt9W-Uz ✍️ Author: Peter Chisambara CPA, ACMA 🏷️ Theme: Innovation, intuition, and the future of finance leadership What if the biggest risk to finance isn’t disruption, but staying too comfortable with the past? In this thought-provoking article, Peter Chisambara challenges CFOs and finance leaders to rethink how finance creates value. As AI and automation absorbs compliance and transactional work, the real opportunity lies in applying design thinking to decision support, innovation, and strategic partnering. ✔️ Finance education trains us to perfect compliance, not design the future ✔️ Over-reliance on analytics can quietly suffocate innovation ✔️ Balancing exploration and exploitation is now a leadership imperative ✔️ Design thinking turns finance into a proactive, customer-centric partner 🎯 Fun facts from the article: 1️⃣ Innovation often dies not from bad ideas, but from rigid budgeting and forecasting 2️⃣ Designers value validity over predictability—finance can too 3️⃣ Finance may be the most powerful place in the organization to apply design thinking 📄 Download the PDF summary below and explore how finance can stop reporting history and start shaping what’s next. Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow. 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs 🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🔭 Explore the benefits of Membership at CFO.University 👉 https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #DesignThinking #CFOUniversity #StrategicCFO #FinanceTransformation #InnovationInFinance #FutureOfFinance

🧰 Building an Irresistible Business 📰 How to Make Your Business More Attractive to Buyers and Investors 🖋️ By Dave Bookbinder Executive Director, Valuation Services at Haefele Flanagan and the Host of the Behind the Numbers podcast Every CFO wants to help their organization command top dollar, whether in a sale, recap, or investment round. But strong financials alone won’t get you there. 💡 Real value lives at the intersection of strategy, operations, and people. In this article, Dave lays out 8 proven, practical ways to make your business more attractive to buyers and investors, focusing on predictability, reduced risk, and value that transfers after the deal closes. 💥 Don’t just read it. Work it. 📄 Download the summary PDF below and put these ideas in motion with your team. 🧠 Key topics Dave dives into: • Simple steps that increase valuation • What a truly sale-ready financial close looks like • The growth narratives buyers actually believe 💬 “A business that runs without you is far more valuable than one that doesn’t.” 📖 Study in Dave's human-centric valuation library here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gKFYvSv Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow. 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs 🌍 Our mission: Develop world-changing finance leaders 🎯 Become a CFO.University Member for exclusive tools, insights, and peer learning: 👉 https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #ChiefFinancialOfficer #BusinessValuation #FinanceLeadership #CFOUniversity #ExitStrategy #MergersAndAcquisitions #InvestorReadiness #FinancialClose #FutureOfFinance

🔮 The CFO Shift:  Prediction # 8 👇 Eighth in our series from 10 Predictions Shaping the CFO Role in 2026    💡   CFOS AS ENTERPRISE RISK ORCHESTRATORS Risk is no longer siloed. Financial, operational, cyber, AI, reputational are all connected. In 2026, CFOs will: • Integrate risk into strategy • Tie risk to capital allocation • Help leaders understand trade-offs Risk leadership is becoming strategic leadership. ✔️  What CFOs Should Do:  CFOs should move from siloed risk registers to integrated risk conversations tied to strategy and capital decisions. ✔️  How CFO.University Helps:  Risk, governance, and leadership resources help CFOs elevate risk from compliance to strategy. ✔️  Example Resources: 7 Key Elements of Effective Enterprise Risk Management  https://lnkd.in/gFggif2h 5 Considerations for Your Third-Party Risk Management Program  https://lnkd.in/ghEfhDFt Risk Management for CFOs https://lnkd.in/gim_vMK Contributors https://lnkd.in/dmGN7_7  who can help you on Prediction #8: John Thackeray, Steve Rosvold Read about all 10 Predictions and Solutions here:  https://lnkd.in/gN39AZJY Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs  🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🗺️ Explore our Membership benefits here, https://lnkd.in/gbMQe8pU 😊 Like what you found? Join us here, https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #Growth #CFOUniversity #RiskManagement 

📰 Why Analytics Will Be the Next Competitive Edge 📊🚀 Data is everywhere. Insight is not. And that gap is quickly becoming a competitive fault line for organizations. 💭 In this thought-provoking piece, CFO.University Contributor Gary... Gary Cokins, Founder & CEO of Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC, challenges finance leaders to rethink how analytics is truly being used inside their organizations. “The use of analytics that include statistics has gained mainstream value due to the increasingly thinner margin for decision error. Organizations are drowning in data but starving for information. The application of analytics is commonly accepted but are senior executives maximizing it's potential?” For CFOs and finance leaders, this isn’t a technology discussion, it’s a leadership imperative. Gary walks readers through the evolution of analytics maturity: ➡️ From mysterious ➡️ To heuristic ➡️ To algorithmic And explains why those who fail to make this shift risk falling behind fast. This article is a must-read if you’re responsible for: ✔️ Better decisions ✔️ Improved performance ✔️ Turning data into actionable insight ✔️ Reducing decision error in a volatile environment 📌 Links to the full article and Gary’s CFO.University Contributor Library are in the PDF below. 🎯 Follow CFO.University to sharpen your edge with leadership, accounting, finance, and treasury insights from world-class Contributors like Gary. 🎓 Explore our CFO.University Membership for exclusive content, tools, and conversations designed for modern finance leaders here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG Moving from the mysterious to the heuristic to the algorithmic. Prashanth H Southekal, PhD, MBA, ICD.D #CFO #CFOUniversity #Analytics #Leadership #CFODevelopment

🔮 The CFO Shift:  Prediction # 7 👇 Seventh in our series from 10 Predictions Shaping the CFO Role in 2026    💡  STORYTELLING IS A CFO SUPERPOWER Numbers don’t move organizations....Stories do. CFOs who can translate: • Complexity → clarity • Data → decisions • Risk → action will have disproportionate influence in 2026. If your message gets lost in spreadsheets, it’s not a data problem, it’s a communication one. ✔️  What CFOs Should Do:  Finance leaders should practice visual storytelling, scenario narratives, and executive-level framing, not just slide production. ✔️  How CFO.University Helps:  Content on financial storytelling and executive communication helps CFOs elevate their presence and impact. ✔️  Example Resources: For Finance Professionals: Impact = Acumen  https://lnkd.in/gFBv_Vhg Master the Art of FP&A Storytelling: The Winning Formula You Need  https://lnkd.in/gBamxvT5 Visualization vs. Analytics Part II – Visualization Tools https://lnkd.in/gHvtV3R FP&A and the CFO Suite https://lnkd.in/gg_fSbhg Contributors https://lnkd.in/dmGN7_7  who can help you on Prediction #7: Olga Rudakova, Aliyyah Abdullah MBA CPA, Robert J. Zwerling, P.E. Read about all 10 Predictions and Solutions here:  https://lnkd.in/gN39AZJY Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs  🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🗺️ Explore our Membership benefits here, https://lnkd.in/gbMQe8pU 😊 Like what you found? Join us here, https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #Growth #CFOUniversity #Storytelling 

📑 Why You Need to Shortlist Your KPIs (and Stop Measuring Everything) 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gH3Z8zHJ Too many dashboards. Too many metrics. Not enough clarity. In this must-read article, CFO.University Contributor Bernie Smith, Founder of Made to Measure KPIs, tackles a problem every finance leader knows well: 👉 How do you narrow a long list of KPIs down to the ones that actually matter? Most organizations rely on opinion, politics, or endless debate. Bernie offers something better, a structured, repeatable decision process. 🔧 The KPI Shortlisting Process (ROKS Express™) Bernie introduces a practical four-step framework designed to cut through the noise: 🔁 Sifting – Quickly eliminate weak KPIs using focused diagnostic questions ⏩ Rating – Assess each KPI by importance and ease of measurement 🔢 Scoring – Assign a priority score 🔀 Sorting – Rank KPIs to reveal what truly deserves attention He then takes it further with a KPI Matrix that categorizes measures into four action-oriented groups: Primary KPIs – Act on now Aspire List KPIs – Build toward Caution KPIs – Watch carefully Forget KPIs – Stop tracking altogether 💬 Bernie’s advice on how many KPIs to start with is refreshingly direct: “Choose two or three KPIs you are in no doubt are super important… build the KPI habit first, then expand.” This article isn’t about measuring more. It’s about measuring better. It gives finance leaders a disciplined way to align KPIs with strategy, control effort, and drive real performance improvement. 👉 Learn more about Bernie and how to get more value from your KPIs: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gp_BGdc 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs. 🌍 Our mission: Develop world-changing finance leaders. 📚 Join our growing community and unlock exclusive tools, courses, and insights: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/geieMHfG Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow. #CFO #CFOUniversity #KPIs #PerformanceManagement #FinanceLeadership

🔮 The CFO Shift:  Prediction # 6 👇 Sixth in our series from 10 Predictions Shaping the CFO Role in 2026    💡  CFOS AS TALENT DEVELOPERS Hiring great people isn’t enough anymore. In 2026, CFOs will be expected to: • Develop finance leaders • Coach rising talent • Build succession intentionally Finance teams don’t fail because of tools. They fail because leaders didn’t invest in people. The CFO role now includes Chief Talent Developer. ✔️  What CFOs Should Do:  CFOs should invest in structured development paths, coaching, and rotational experiences that future-proof their teams. ✔️  How CFO.University Helps:  CFO.University’s learning paths, coaching resources, and community support CFOs in building resilient, growth-oriented finance teams. ✔️  Example Resources: A Leader’s Guide to Retaining Talent When Dollars Don’t Cut It by Julie Winkle Giulioni  https://lnkd.in/gQ_dK2nv CFO TALK - The CFO’s Role in Talent Measurement with Solange Charas https://lnkd.in/gyeF9Pqp CFO TALK - Evaluating Our Most Valuable Resource with Dave Bookbinder https://lnkd.in/gWgfwZWv Contributors https://lnkd.in/dmGN7_7  who can help you on Prediction #6: Julie Winkle Giulioni, Dr. Solange Charas, Dave Bookbinder Read about all 10 Predictions and Solutions here: https://lnkd.in/gN39AZJY Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs  🌍 Our mission? To develop world-changing finance leaders. 🗺️ Explore our Membership benefits here, https://lnkd.in/gbMQe8pU 😊 Like what you found? Join us here, https://lnkd.in/g72yWfSG Changing the world of Finance, one CFO at a time! 🚀 #CFO #FinanceLeadership #Growth #CFOUniversity #Talent